The Strongest Weapon
by Maddie Tess
Summary: Merlin is late. Arthur is fuming. Merlin is just about ready to die when he discovers a secret. From then on, it's Merlin who has the strongest weapon.


Merlin was late. He had gotten up early so he could get dressed at a normal pace, but he had fallen back asleep and now he had to get ready twice as fast. Gaius hadn't been happy, but the old man felt pity for him, so gave him a sandwich to eat on the run.

He bolted out of Gaius' chambers and ran to the Arthur's. He expected the Prince to be mad at him, but when he opened the door he was still asleep. Merlin thought he'd gotten away with it. If he woke him up now he'd would only be fifteen minutes later than usual. But that's when he saw a note.

_Idiot,_

_Wake me up two hours earlier. Going on a hunting trip with some of the knights._

_DO NOT MAKE ME LATE OR I WILL KILL YOU._

Merlin froze. He must have missed that note last night. Now Arthur was two hours and fifteen minutes late. Just when he was debating whether to wake him up or make a run for it, he heard a voice.

"Merlin?" said a groggy voice from the bed.

Merlin panicked. He was dead. The curtain was pushed aside and Arthur stood there.

"Where's my breakfast?" he demanded. Obviously he didn't remember.

Merlin couldn't answer. Arthur looked at the note on his desk, then at Merlin.

"YOU. ARE. DEAD." he said through gritted teeth.

Merlin made up his mind. He ran for his life. He had run down four hallways and could still hear Arthur's voice. In fact, it was coming closer.

Merlin was petrified. He started thinking of better ways to die, like a heroic death, when a thought popped into his head. He could survive! All he had to do was find the one person who could save him, and fast.

"GWEN! GWEN OPEN THE DOOR! GWEN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD OP-"

"Merlin! What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked Gwen worriedly.

Merlin jumped off the floor and slammed the door shut. He locked it and leant against it.

"Gwen! Thank God!" Merlin smiled with relief at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing! As long as I stay with you I'll survive!" Merlin yelled out in happiness.

"Merlin, you can't stay with me all day, I have to work and so do you." said Gwen calmly.

Merlin froze again. She was right. He couldn't stay with her all day. He looked at her desperately.

"But Gwen!" He whined. "He is going to kill me!"

"Who?"

"Arthur! You should have seen how mad he was! I came to you because he knows I'm your friend and he won't hurt me in front of you! Plus he likes you!" Merlin yelled.

Gwen grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, got him a glass of water and sat him front of me.

"Merlin, you need to tell me this from the beginning."

So Merlin did. He told her everything. By the time he was done Gwen was trying her hardest not to laugh.

"It's not funny Gwen! Please, can you talk to him? He'll listen to you!" he cried.

Gwen couldn't hold her laughter back anymore. Merlin was sitting in front of her, eyes wide and his face pale white. He looked like a child who had done the wrong thing, and all this because of the man she loved. She grabbed Merlin's hand and told him to come with her.

Arthur was fuming. He was going to murder Merlin.

'_How could Merlin be such an idiot!' _he thought.

He could picture Sir Leon having to lead the other knights on the hunting trip because he hadn't shown up. He hadn't even sent Merlin down with an explanation! He was thinking about the best way to kill his manservant when he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in!" he shouted angrily.

Gwen walked in. Just the sight of her calmed him down.

"Gwenevere! What are you doing here?" he asked.

Gwen didn't answer. Instead she opened the door a little wider, revealing Merlin who was whimpering behind her.

"YOU!" he shouted. The sight of Merlin had the opposite effect on him. He could feel all the anger rushing back into him.

"Arthur, wait! Merlin is very sorry and promises to from now on be more aware of your expectations. He is even willing to spend a day in the stocks if you in return promise not to kill him."

"No deal! I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU MERLIN!" he screamed. Merlin took a step back but Gwen grabbed his arm. The expression on her face was one neither Merlin nor Arthur had ever seen before.

"ARTHUR PENDRAGON YOU WILL STOP SCREAMING THIS MINUTE!" she shouted. Arthur froze. "Now, I would like you to reconsider the offer I made _considering_, that this whole thing was an accident!"

Arthur stopped for a moment. From Gwen and Merlin's point of view, it looked like he actually was considering it.

"Deal." he said. Merlin smiled at Gwen.

"Thank you." he said quietly.

Gwen smiled at him and walked off to Lady Morgana's chambers.

For the rest of the morning Arthur and Merlin didn't speak to each other. Merlin was obedient and Arthur knew he was trying to make up for what he'd done.

"You're still mad at me aren't you?" Merlin asked.

"Yes. But not for waking me up late." answered Arthur.

Merlin was confused, but didn't press him for any more information. Just before Arthur was about to leave though, he turned around to face him.

"Merlin" Arthur said dangerously.

Merlin tensed up. "Yes?"

"If you ever go to Gwenevere again with a complaint about me, I will personally run my sword through you. Got it?"

Merlin smiled. "Yes sire"

When he left, Merlin smiled to himself. Arthur knew how to use a lot of weapons against him, and he was sure scared of them all. But Merlin had the strongest weapon, and Arthur was terrified of it:

An Angry Gwenevere


End file.
